When is a tree not a tree? When it’s an obstacle to a par-3. If a tree falls in the middle of a golf course, does it make a sound? Yeah, probably. I wasn’t there, but I have to assume, based on my limited knowledge of the laws of physics.

What I do know is that Donald Trump’s crusade to clear more than 400 trees for the purposes of redeveloping East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-level course isn’t happening. For now.

The US district judge Ana Reyes shut down the project this week, though the administration claimed it had already cleared 430 of the planned 529 trees. This was after a May order from Reyes to require the White House to request approval for cutting down more than 10 trees. Reyes ordered a full stop to the tree clearing until 26 October, and threatened contempt of court if the administration doesn’t abide.

As is always the case with this president, he is attempting to assert some manner of control over a public asset. In this case, said asset is a golf course, which means he’s really invested. You might not be able to get him to stop staring at Jon Husted’s ass to sort out inflation, gas prices or the conflict in Iran, but you better believe he can put aside the senator from Ohio’s manly posterior long enough to sort out dramatic changes to a public golf course.

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